Monday, November 30, 2009

Welcome to the State of Oregon Jobs PageWe believe in Oregon and "Values at Work" by serving the citizens of this great state and carrying out Oregon's core values of strong communities, healthy kids, educational opportunities, a green lifestyle, economic vitality, and a sustainable future.

"Green" and "sustainable" have taken over as buzzwords for the state. I'm actually starting to miss the term "diversity."But this wouldn't be complete without an actual reason to vote NO on 66 & 67:Equity, Policy and Community Engagement Manager$5,151 - $7,585 MONTHLYThe Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS)/Office of the Director (DO)/Office Multicultural Health and Services (OMDHS)/Equity, Policy and Community Engagement Unit is seeking a progressive and experienced professional to serve as the Equity, Policy and Community Engagement Unit Manager.

When the ad says that they are seeking a "progressive" does that mean conservatives need not apply? This position leads a team that is responsible for developing, implementing, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating strategies that promote equity and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health and human services in Oregon.

From this statement I must conclude that the current system that DHS oversees is rife with racism. The state agency must be responsible for horrible racial disparities if they need to hire someone for $91K/year to correct it. Sorry, someone to lead an entire team to correct it.I, Daniel, am willing to solve this right now and for a lot less money: Hey DHS, don't be racist.

Health bills fail to block illegals from coverageHundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants could receive health care coverage from their employers under the bills winding their way through Congress, despite President Obama's explicit pledge that illegal immigrants would not benefit.

Democrats who wrote the House bill said that employer coverage for illegal immigrants is not intentional, but rather the outcome of people breaking the law.

How to deal with immigrants, both legal and illegal, remains one of the thorniest issues in the health care debate. In his address to a joint session of Congress in September, Mr. Obama specifically challenged Republicans who said his plans would extend coverage to illegal immigrants.

"This, too, is false -- the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally," Mr. Obama said.

You know that we are on the winning side of this issue when Obama and Pelosi will publicly denounce the idea of intentionally giving health insurance to illegal aliens. You know that we have a problem with our Republic when the politicians privately scheme to contravene their public statements.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

My only caveat would be that I wish Roy Beck wouldn't throw in the "nation of immigrants" platitude.

From Ann Coulter:

All nations are "nations of immigrants" — as Peter Brimelow pointed out brilliantly in his 1992 article in National Review on immigration, which left nothing for anyone else to say (Time to Rethink Immigration? ).

Of the "nation of immigrants" locution, Brimelow says:

"No discussion of U.S. immigration policy gets far without someone making this helpful remark. As an immigrant myself, I always pause respectfully. You never know. Maybe this is what they're taught to chant in schools nowadays, a sort of multicultural Pledge of Allegiance. ... Do they really think other nations sprouted up out of the ground?"

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Changes in the windSo you think sorting out recyclables into yellow bins is a hassle, and biking to work instead of driving is a big sacrifice?

You haven’t seen anything yet.

Like it or not, our lives will change in myriad ways as humans scramble to avoid a catastrophic rise in global temperature. (do not read the emails) Nowhere is that clearer than in Portland and Multnomah County, which recently adopted one of the nation’s most aggressive and comprehensive plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming.

Looming lifestyle changes will affect how you heat and power your home, how you get around town, even the food you eat and the products you buy.

When I think "lifestyle change" I think about choosing to eat differently, choosing to eliminate stress, choosing to drink less (or more). But it is about choice. This is different, these will be government edicts that the subjects of Portland must follow.Since us stupid Americans can't seem to accept central planning for our own good, our benefactors in government have come up with a new reason to establish this time tested method of running a country: save the planet.We know the planet is dying because the scientists who get funding from the government say it is. Again, DO NOT READ THE EMAILS.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Bill Sizemore for governor! I don't care if he vetoes every bill that comes his way, I just want to see someone with a personal axe to grind with the OEA have control of the executive branch in Oregon. But let's be honest, we're really going to get four more years of Tim Nesbitt as governor.

With regards to the Officer Humphreys situation, at what point did we start to feel sorry for people who fight with cops? You know the saying "people get the government they deserve?" At some point the cops should let the people of Portland get the law enforcement that they deserve. As a side benefit, all the criminals from the surrounding communities, where we actually like cops enforcing the law, will pour into the enforcement free cesspool known as Portland. Assuming that they are riding bikes of course.

Regarding tax increases: Over at BlueOregon (where they hate black people, I keep saying it so it must be true) someone with the "YES on more government spending" campaign has put together a "what the state does" list by county.

Baker County:Children in public schools: 2,208People on the Oregon Health Plan: 1,983Seniors and people with disabilities receiving long-term care (in-home, assisted living, nursing homes): 152People who received an initial unemployment benefit check in 2009: 639Released criminal offenders under supervision: 47Tax filers who make $250,000 or more (households) or $125,000 or more (individual filers): 93

I think their point is that 93 people should pay for all that by themselves. You know, because they are successful. Much like treating the criminal as the victim in the Humphreys case, here we treat folks who are asking the rest of us to pay for their health insurance as a "good number" while the folks who are productive are the "evil number." Damn those 93 people for working so hard.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Minority, women and emerging small business programMetro’s MWESB policies are race and gender neutral. All contractors are welcome to compete in MWESB contracting processes regardless of race or gender, as long as they are certified by the State of Oregon as a minority-owned business enterprise (MBE), women-owned business enterprise (WBE), or emerging small business (ESB). Metro does not certify contracts, but rather relies on State of Oregon certification.

Metro aggressively seeks opportunities to do business with minority-owned, women-owned and emerging small businesses (MWESB).

Informal sheltered marketConstruction opportunities under $25,000 are solicited from and bid among only qualified MWESB contractors. Competitive bidding requirements still apply, but it is within the sheltered market of MWESB firms. This requirement may be waived only when no qualified MWESB bidders respond.

Anyone can participate regardless of race or gender... as long as you are a woman or minority and THE STATE certifies you as such. Only THE STATE can tell you that you are equal enough to have exclusive rights to bid on all construction jobs under $25K.No white males need apply.

...removals of people with criminal records went from more than 3,100 to nearly 4,500 - a jump of 39.7 percent.

ICE spokeswoman Lorie Dankers says the agency its putting its resources into what it sees as the bigger threat to public safety, and that is illegal immigrants with criminal records.

A burglar who hasn't been caught yet doesn't have a criminal record yet we would think that it was ridiculous if law enforcement didn't pay attention to it.The illegal alien who is using a false or stolen social security number to take a job that he can't legally have is a criminal just the same. It's not as high profile as the guy bringing in the trunkload of meth but I'm guessing that the person whose identity was stolen and the other person who was turned down for that job would appreciate it if our government would enforce it's laws.

But is this prisoner deserving of less prison time for good behavior? That was the question in a Marion County court Wednesday as convicted arsonist Jerry Nicholson Jr. tried to take advantage of a new state "early release" law.

Ninety-year-old Cleathel Knox of Stayton, Ore., went before a Marion County judge asking the judge not to release the man convicted of trying to burn down her house - while she was inside.

Nicholson, meanwhile, speaking to the judge by phone, pitched his case: "I'd like to say that me, myself, I don't think I'm a threat to society if I get out early."

So a 90 year old women has to beg a judge to keep the guy in jail who tried to burn her house down. Thankfully when it comes to public safety we do still have Lily Caceres.Her job?Minority Services Hispanic/Latina CoordinatorOffice of Minority ServicesOregon Youth Authority

I know what you are thinking, isn't public safety better served by keeping arsonists in jail rather than pandering to racial groups of juvenille delinquents?I would have thought so to until I read this "thank you letter" that she got:I want you to know how much I appreciate Lily Caceres’ assistance in navigating and setting up an appointment with the Mexican Consulate. It was wonderful to have Lily’s help to facilitate the meeting. Lily continues to work very hard at bridging gaps between systems like the consulate in Portland and OYA. She assisted my youth in obtaining his Oregon I.D. and Mexican I.D. I thought you should pass this information on to her supervisor to let her know she is very much appreciated.

I am willing to tolerate a few burned down houses if it means that juvenille criminals are getting help aquiring their foreign ID.

You will not have to give the Social Security number or immigrant status of anyone who is not getting food stamps.

The food stamp office will not contact INS with any information from your child’s application.

Your family is not a “public charge” if you only get non-cash help. This includes food stamps, WIC, school meals and the Oregon Health Plan.

This is an oldie but goodie DHS flyer. Please keep in mind that when you are the victim of a criminal who got released early it was so that our state government could use your tax dollars to advertise services to illegal aliens and their anchor babies.

They'd also love more parents to act like parents, or at least allies, if teachers are going to make it through the school year.

"Most teachers accept the fact that yes, we are raising these children, and other people are raising ours," says Laura Shingleton, a middle school teacher in Salem. These kids need order and support, she says, more than their preoccupied parents and overwhelmed educators may realize.

Step 1: government tells parents that the school will feed their children breakfast and lunch, the school will provide clothes for their kids, the school will provide health care for their kids, the school "will assist in feeding and changing diapers" for their kids, (current job opening for that position, see link) and the school will provide classroom supplies for their kids.Step 2: Lazy parents truly come to believe that the school will raise their kids.Step 3: Good teachers who actually believe that their role is reading, writing and arithmatic get upset because parents don't want to do their job.Step 4: We can hopefully rein in government. Take away the crutch that bad parents are using to avoid their responsibilities.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Welcome to Dignity Village's website.As we face the winter months, with the cold weather we rely on your support to see that we can offer a warm place for other homeless people out there,with over night stays and with your warm gift of giving we know that we will be here to provide this service to the homeless people outside the village. Please ask for Joe, if you would like to donate to help us along , or need info as to what we are looking for as for donations of items we can use.

Get the begging out of the way...Now that all that was said , I want to let everyone know that we are having a Christmas Bazaar Dec 05-06 from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm in our Commons Buildings, We will have tables and tables of stuff. We will have Door prizes, and a grand prize, and a bake sale of Cookies, Cakes, and Coffee etc, just to let some of the fun out Come on out and support the Village . Have a tour , and view our Holiday Lights, yes lights, we are having a festive lighting and the viewing will be open to a Donation of your choice at the gate . a guided tour will walk you around the decorated houses.

Only in America can you get "door prizes" from the homeless. And since the taxpayers of Portland are funding their electric bill the lighting should be as spectacular as a Griswold family Christmas!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Kaelri is a frequent commentor here and unlike most of my detractors he refrains from attacking me personally. Since I have a policy of not commenting on my own blog I am going to respond to his last couple of statements in this post. Kaelri comments in italics.

Incarceration has exactly one purpose: to prevent and deter people from endangering the community.

Wrong. Incarceration has two purposes: to prevent and deter future crime AND to punish.

Statistically, most of the released inmates will have been there for drug-related charges, which, since drug law enforcement doesn't work anyway, I'm not gonna lose any sleep over.

What part of "drug law enforcement doesn't work?" Is it because people still use drugs? People still murder but no one is claiming that "murder enforcement law doesn't work." When you make something illegal then fewer people do it.

But again, the only reason to keep him locked up - the only reason the government should do anything with other people's money, for that matter - is if it will do some good.

Demonstrating punishment does good. If people think that there is not a larger consequence for fleeing the scene of an accident and leaving someone to die then that is the more likely response. Why hang around if you are driving drunk when you can flee and have a the chance to escape?

Just curious: how much do you think an American citizen should pay in order to "earn" the police cruiser that comes when that burglar breaks into his house? Or the fire truck that comes to stop it from burning down?So let's send you a bill every month - your full, equal share of the government services you not only have, but take for granted.

They do send me a bill. It's called property taxes. It's itemized to include both police and fire service. Law enforcement and criminal justice is actually a job of government. It's one of the few things that they must do since we are a country of laws.

A policy that lets a government-funded insurance company compete with private insurers in a free market? To spur innovation, destroy oligopolist practices and drive down costs, all while giving individual Americans the right to choose whatever insurance option they want? If any? A true communist would be apoplectic.

Government funded really means taxpayer funded. So I would be paying for a system to compete with the one that I currently use? And the company that currently supplies me with health insurance doesn't get to set regulations? Doesn't get to create mandates? Has to worry about a profit? This is not competition. And a government that can't come out and say they want socialism has to take baby steps and work under the guise of "fairness" and "helping the poor."

If you think George Washington would have put up with this preexisting condition shit, you're out of your mind.The preexisting condition argument is the one that I find the most ridiculous. Of cours INSURANCE doesn't allow preexisting conditions... EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE. You can't wreck your car then get insurance. But you can get a job that provides health insurance, which is how most people get their health insurance, and because it is a group plan then your preexisting condition is accepted.

Ahem. Forty years on, Medicare is one of the most popular and successful government-run programs of all time, and the senior population would pretty much lynch anyone who tried to take it away.

The "first in" on a ponzi scheme will always support the program. And if you define "success" as "out of money and rife with fraud" then I'm not sure what to say.

I like you Kaelri and I know you once said that you enjoyed reading Atlas Shrugged. I'd suggest re-reading it and remembering where Ayn Rand came from. I take the side of less government because that always means more freedom.

But the emotional impact of that law hit home in a Portland courtroom Monday.

More than three years after a driver struck her 23-year-old daughter and left her to die, Janet Tremain pleaded with a Multnomah County judge not to lop 30 percent off the killer's sentence. A law that took effect in July increased the amount of time off inmates can receive for good behavior from 20 to 30 percent.

On July 14, 2006, McDaniel was jogging on the shoulder of a road near Interstate 84 and Dodson when Corona-Rosales, then 24, veered into her, which knocked her into blackberry bushes. She lay bleeding for nearly 30 minutes until two passers-by spotted her. She died in a hospital 30 hours later.

Doctors told her family that McDaniel might have had a 40 to 50 percent chance of survival if she had been flown to a hospital immediately after impact.

Corona-Rosales was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and hit-and-run driving. He received nearly five years in prison -- 20 months of that sentence was for hit-and-run. Under the new law, he is eligible for 30 percent off the 20 months.

Because he is an illegal immigrant, he will be deported when he is released.

Perhaps state legislators should be required to be present at these hearings. They should look into the eyes of parents who had a child killed by an illegal alien that now wants out of prison early.When they walk out of the public courthouse they can look at whatever piece of crap sculpture that is outside required by Oregon's Percent for Public Art program. Do you think that the crying mother of a dead child will appreciate the piece as she passes by? The legislature is saving $3 million by punishing crime victims and endagering public safety but they spent half a million dollars on WES commuter rail art.Public Art on WES Commuter RailThe project has allocated $500,000 to fund the WES Public Art Program based on 1.5 percent of eligible project costs.

But I'm sure that any legislator could explain to the parent of a murdered child why it's more important to preserve public art than keep a killer in prison.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act granted legal status to more than a million agricultural workers. It also introduced sanctions for employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and increased border enforcement.

But as the unauthorized work force turned legal and gained job mobility, there was substantial "leakage" of legal workers from agriculture to better-paying or more stable employment, the National Agricultural Workers Survey shows. Ten years after the immigration act, half of all farmworkers were again illegal, the survey shows.

This was one small part of the story in The Oregonian that asked how local farmers can compete in the global marketplace.The proponents of using illegal aliens as their labor make the same arguments that proponents of slavery made. But after abolition the industry adjusted. Mechanization and efficiencies actually made farming BETTER in America.Illegal aliens are a crutch that keep us from innovation and improvement in food production. If we legalize the current bunch they will quite their jobs and more criminals will flow across the border to take their place.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Some congressman just read a letter from a constituent who said that they were "embarrassed to tell people that they didn't have health care." They ended the letter by asking for those same people to pay for their health care.

When did it not become embarrassing to take something from others that you did not earn? A burglar at least has the decency to break into your house himself. Liberals want to take your money through the power of government.

Friday, November 06, 2009

Congressional Hispanics have threatened to vote against the bill because of a last-minute threat from within the Democratic Caucus to bolster the House bill’s immigration restrictions to match those included in the Senate Finance bill.

And they’re also fighting President Barack Obama, the original sponsor of the language prohibiting illegal immigrants from accessing the public health insurance exchange.

Vulnerable Democrats may push for language that would match the Senate provision on preventing illegal immigrants from accessing a public exchange.

CAUSA, you can put away your false poll data concerning American's positions on illegal aliens. The fact that democrats who are worried about re-election (and Obama himself) are scared silly to do anything that would look like helping illegals tells us all we need to know.My question for congressional hispanics is this: doesn't Mexico already have wonderful government run health care?Call your representative and tell them NO coverage for illegal aliens! Actually, all you libs who read this blog can call and insist that the bill DO cover illegals because that will doom the bill just as fast.

Across the country, 107.8 million refund checks worth a combined $123.5 million are waiting for taxpayers to claim them.

All a taxpayer has to do is update his or her address once with the U.S. Post Office. The IRS will then send out all checks due. Undeliverable refund checks average $1,104 per Oregonian this year, compared to $930 last year. Some taxpayers are due more than one check.

I would love to see further analysis of this. How many of these checks are going to people who used an ITIN? How many used an ITIN or SSN that was a duplicate? Are there six checks that are all using the same address?Either there are a lot of illegal aliens who are missing their "refund" check or I really don't want the same people who are in charge of the IRS to control my health care.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Dejection fills ballroom after gay marriage voteCecelia Burnett and Ann Swanson had already set their wedding date. When they joined about 1,000 other gay marriage supporters for an election night party in a Holiday Inn ballroom, they hoped to celebrate the vote that would make it possible.

Instead, they went home at midnight, dejected and near tears after a failed bid to make Maine the first state to approve same-sex marriage at the ballot box.

With 87 percent of precincts reporting, gay-marriage foes had 53 percent of the vote in a referendum that asked Maine voters whether they wanted to repeal a law allowing same-sex marriage that had passed the Legislature and was signed by Democratic Gov. John

Special Rights Oregon has just announced that they will push for a ballot measure in Oregon to repeal our preservation of marriage law but chalk up another state where voters, when asked, reject the idea of gay marriage.It's hard to argue with the undeniable fact that whenever THE PEOPLE, as opposed to the folks who are in theory representing the people, are asked, they say no same-sex marriage.We have marriage equality: everyone can marry someone of the opposite sex.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Oregonians ask, 'Where's my subsidy?'You've given up those nose-bleed seats in the Rose Garden and you're buying your wine at Trader Joe's. You run in the rain because you can no longer afford the gym. Even though you've taken a pay cut, the last time you remember taking an afternoon off was a furlough day.

Yet every time you turn around, the state of Oregon -- while taxing you to the breaking point -- is dishing out another public subsidy to your neighborhood tavern or green energy pipedream.

You better believe you're steamed. As you should be.

The governor and the Legislature have yet to figure out you can't plead poverty, and pitch tax increases, while freeing state agencies to indulge in this misbegotten generosity.

Our job as conservatives is to now point to the underlying principle that government picking winners and losers is ALWAYS misbegotten generosity, not just in a recession and not just with "green" energy.It is misbegotten generosity to take money from one person or one group and give it to another who has not earned it.

Sunday, November 01, 2009

NRA Sues Seattle Over Illegal Gun BanOn October 28, NRA filed a complaint in the Superior Court of Washington State against the City of Seattle, asking the court to enjoin and declare invalid a recently enacted parks and recreation administrative policy that prohibits firearms in parks, community centers and other city-owned buildings. Other plaintiffs in the case include state correctional officers and private citizens.

The city is in violation of Washington's preemption statute, which forbids localities from enacting this type of ban. In October 2008, Attorney General Rob McKenna issued an opinion, which put the City of Seattle and Mayor Nickels on further notice that Washington cities may not enact local laws prohibiting possession of firearms on city property or in city-owned facilities.

One of our greatest protections is the fact that we are a nation of laws. But government is rapidly eroding that principle by picking and choosing enforcement or politicians flat out ignoring laws that stand in the way of their personal goals.Who is in the wrong if there is a state preemption law (both Oregon and Washington have this) saying that a locality cannot enact local firearm restrictions and a city/county/school decides to do so anyways but the public ignores it?Unfortunately it seems that law enforcement, answering to political masters, would choose to enforce an unlawful directive. We saw this in New Orleans, we saw this with the Oregon University system and I think that we are going to continue to see it.A government that does not follow it's own laws is not a legitimate body to represent the people.http://oathkeepers.org/oath/